A purchase of all the entertainment assets would cost $15 billion to $17 billion, not including $5 billion in debt.

So Comsat has decided to act, and appears likely to spin off its entertainment assets as a new subsidiary.

It is the sort of exploitation, in fact, that corporate executives describe as a reason to collect entertainment assets across many channels.

Together, the music and other entertainment assets are expected to fetch $18 billion to $22 billion, although they may not be sold as a single piece.

At the moment, there are not a lot of buyers out there for the entertainment assets.

In doing so, Time Warner relinquished total control of two key entertainment assets.

If the Dolans were to put anything up for sale, some investors suggested that it would be the entertainment assets, not the cable systems.

Along with Columbia, Coke had other entertainment assets, primarily in the television business.

Vivendi has held a preliminary face-to-face discussion with at least one potential buyer for its entertainment assets.

It plans to accept formal bids for the American entertainment assets on Monday.